"I have had mixed experiences with Overstock.com. The mixed experience has not been with the products themselves but the fact that they use DHL for shipping. This is the WORST shipping company I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with. Their shipping times are down right unbelievable, I can't help but wonder if they deliver using mules to carry the packages and their customer service is the only thing worse then their shipping times. It was estimated to be almost two weeks for a product to be shipped to me and then it did not arrive for yet another five days. I called DHL and they kept saying it should be there today but it never showed. Finally they tracked it down and said they would send someone out to deliver it before noon that day. It did not arrive before noon and I called and they said, "we never said that." I have had almost the same experience every time I have ordered something from overstock. It's too bad because I would use them more if they had a decent shipping company. "
"Ordered a featherbed from Overstock and it was "in stock". Received confirmation email and my credit card was charged.
A month went by with no featherbed and no refund. I called several times and was met with many reassurances. I sent FIVE emails that went unanswered from them & then:
Me: Hey! Email number 6 and still no response from you Overstock! I see the money has exited my bank account, but you still haven't shipped some of my merchandise and have not responded to my last 5 emails. Why?? Do people actually work at Overstock? Online transactions should be relatively simple - I pick something out and pay, you ship me what I purchased! I paid - I did my part - with the trust that a large company like yourselves will not keep the money AND the merchandise. If there's some normal hold up: if there's a strike, if your warehouse has been demolished by Hurricaine Wilma, you caught a nasty computer virus -- I'll understand and wait patiently! But you must COMMUNICATE with your customers. Not leave us writing increasingly LONG and
RIDICULOUS emails that your computers assure me will be answered in 24 hours and yet never are. Now please, Overstock. Where. Is. My. Featherbed.
Their response: We appreciate your business. I apologize you have not received any information regarding your order 'Baffle Box White Goose Featherbed (Queen)' which was purchased under the order number xxxxx. I apologize for not getting back to you in a timely manner with the answers to your concerns. I understand your frustration at not receiving a reply to your email until today. After further review of your account, I see that a representative has already assisted you by forwarding this issue to the concerned department and also requested them to contact you as soon as possible. I sincerely apologize for the delay in resolving this issue. Please allow 2-4 business days for them to contact you.
*no one contacts me. I call & am told 'the warehouse' is actually to blame and they will contact me in 2-4 business days.*
Me: It has now been 7 business days since I called and was assured that “the warehouse” would be getting back to me within 4 business days. If you delay shipment or communication on shipment any longer, I will consider my money stolen! I have now sent 8 emails.
Them: Thank you for shopping with Overstock.com and for informing us that you have not received any information regarding the shipment of your 'Baffle Box White Goose Featherbed (Queen)' in regards to the order number xxxxx. Please give Overstock.com another chance to demonstrate their expertise in meeting the demands of customers in the dynamic arena of online shopping. I understand the inconvenience at having to make several contacts to take care of this issue. I apologize that we are not able to assist to you in a timely manner to resolve your situation. To provide you with the correct information required to answer your email, I have forwarded your issue to a specialized representative who has access to the information needed to answer your request.
Me: Not good enough. I've already waited 4 business days and the only response I get is an IDENTICAL email to 2 others I've already received asking me to wait another 4 business days for a response? The question of whether or not you should send a customer an item they've paid for SHOULD NOT TAKE OVER A MONTH.
Them: Thank you for contacting Overstock.com about your concerns. I am sorry you have had trouble with your recent order for the 'Baffle Box White Goose Featherbed (Queen)' under the order number xxxxx. I understand the inconvenience at having to make several contacts to take care of this issue. I apologize that we are not able to assist to you in a timely manner to resolve your situation.
Since we are having a site upgrade we are facing difficulties in shipping certain items for the customers. Please be informed that we have forwarded your mail to specialized representatives and we guarantee you will be contacted via email or phone within four business days.
Me: Your responses are cut and pasted and do not respond to my problem in any way. 4 business days have gone by several times now with no response. I just wanted to tell you I've reported this to the BBB and notice that I'm one of 500 people all making the same complaint about your business practices. Thanks!
Them: Thank you for shopping with Overstock.com and for contacting us about your concerns. We appreciate your business. I am sorry to hear that you have not yet received your Baffle Box White Goose Featherbed under the order xxxxxx. To provide you with the correct information, I have forwarded your message to a specialized representative who has access to the information needed to answer your request. Please be advised some questions can take several days to answer as we need to contact third parties. However, we guarantee you will be contacted via email or phone within 24-48 hours...."
"I purchased what I was told was a new computer and a two-year protection plan. The network card failed and I called the number on the protection plan contract; overstock refered me to the manufacturer (less than one-year) who learned from my product #/serial # that the computer was actually refurbished and therefore out of warranty. I went back to overstock who then told me that the protection plan does not cover equipment used for a business.
DO NOT SHOP AT OVERSTOCK.COM. It's NOT WORTH THE HASSLE and OVERSTOCK.COM IS NOT HONEST."
"Yeah, I am getting the feeling you should not buy electronics from them. They appears to all be refurbished, and crappy. I purchased a digital camera from them in May. It was a Canon Powershot A540. Apparently the lens on this camera is really crappy and everyone has the same problem with these. The lens is really sensitive and somehow was not retracting properly. The camera would not function because of this problem.. so I sent it back a month and a half later. I checked into the status of my camera a month after returning it, today, and had quite an adventure with them. I am pending two responses and went ahead with the immediate chat that they offer on their site. That follows later.
I first called them. I got Joel as a representative, he was very timid and soft, which is bad news when your working for a company that appears to get a lot of complaints. After 10 minutes he changed his story two different times. All I asked was for the phone number to the warranty department. He told me first that they were not in today. Then I asked if they had voice mails that I could leave a message on, I get put on hold and he tells me that they don't have an incoming phone. I then ask to speak to his supervisor. He puts me on hold again. Apparently Elizabeth, his supervisor, was too busy today and will call me back by tomorrow.
I then responded to the return label email that I got. I am waiting to hear back from them.
Last resort, online chat. I learned that the protection plan is essentially this mailing label that sits on their computers. If something happens to the product they send it to you and poof, there goes the $20.00 for the protection plan. Even though you have to pay for shipping the defective item back.
I copied the conversation over so you can see what a headache it is. Most of all, why you should not buy digital products from them...
Randall: Thanks for visiting Overstock.com, this is Randall, how can I help you?
you: I need to contact the warranty department.
Randall: I will be glad to help you with that information.
Randall: May I have your order number or email address please?
[deleted personal information]
Randall: Thank you for verifying the information, [deleted personal information].
Randall: Just to confirm, are you referring to the 'Canon Powershot A540 6MP Digital Camera'?
you: Yes
Randall: Thank you for confirming.
Randall: I checked your account and see that we have issued a refund of $143.10 to your card on 09/10/2007. This refund should appear on the next credit card statement.
you: I actually expected to get the camera fixed, for that is what I was told.
Randall: Would you mind holding for a minute or two while I check on that for you?
you: Sure. Thanks Randall.
Randall: Thanks for holding.
Randall: This $143.10 has been issued back to your card.
you: I was hoping to have my camera fixed thou. I take it that's not what the protection plan actually is. Is there anyway I can have the plan reimbursed so I don't have to buy my next digital camera from overstock?
Randall: This protection plan has been used and it cannot be refunded.
you: How was it used? I don't understand that. I returned the camera to be fixed, and it was refunded.
Randall: Yes, you were able to return the camera since you purchased the protection plan. The protection plan can only be used only once.
Randall: Do you have any more questions for me?
you: I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that I paid $20, to return my camera a month and a half later, with me paying for the shipping. I am sorry but this matter is not resolved.
Randall: Let me explain that to you.
Randall: Let me explain that to you.
you: Why is it called a 2 year "protection" plan then.
Randall: You purchased this camera and purchased protection plan. If the item was defective within the return time frame, we would have accepted the return at no cost. You returned the item to the warranty department and the warranty department issued the refund. Hence the warranty was used on this camera, since the product had warranty, we have issued the refund for the camera.
you: That's obnoxious. So I am out $20.00 then.
you: hello?
Randall: You have used the warranty to get a refund on the product, hence we are unable to issue the refund on the warranty that you purchased.
Randall: Do you have any more questions for me?
you: I'll be sure to include that in my review of overstock.com on resellerratings.com
you: Take care Randall
Randall: Thanks for shopping with Overstock.com. Have a great day.
Chat InformationChat session has been terminated by the Overstock Service representative."
"I usually don't put a lot of stock in online reviews, because most of them are complaints from people who didn't read purchase agreements or follow return policies. Unfortunately, in this case, the reviewers are correct: Overstock.com is a disreputable company.
I was looking for a particular Sony home theater projector, which is now discontinued. I found Overstock.com's site, and they claimed to have them in stock, new in box, for a reasonable price. A family member had previously shopped at Overstock.com, and had a positive experience. I read their guarantees, and all seemed to be OK, so I placed the order.
It took Overstock.com nearly two weeks to ship and deliver the "in stock" item, despite the fact that their facility is only three UPS shipping days from my home. Six days after I placed the order, Overstock.com dropped their online price by $200. Overstock.com has a "Best Price Guarantee," so I would be covered, right? It was then that I came across the first landmine - the "Best Price Guarantee" is good only for five days from the moment you place your order. Nevertheless, I decided that my purchase price was reasonable when I made the purchase, so I decided it wasn't worth getting upset over.
I was very excited when the box finally arrived, but when I opened the box, it did not contain an expensive piece of electronics - it contained a cheap bedspread, even though the included packing list showed that there was supposed to be a projector in the box.
I contacted Customer Service. They gave me instructions on how to return the package, and promised me a full refund. I have followed all of their return procedures to the letter. It has been a month since I placed the initial order, and I still have not received a refund. I keep getting apologies and excuses. To add insult to injury, I'm now experiencing a new problem. The credit card I used to make the purchase is now getting unauthorized charges for cell phones in Italy, airline tickets in Great Britain, eBay auction charges, and the like. Since the projector purchase was the only purchase I've made on this credit card since March 2007, I have to assume that someone at Overstock.com is engaging in credit card fraud.
Avoid this shady merchant. "
"I bought three Mercury Living Presence Compact disks from them. Information concerning my order status was scant. Eventually, everything arrived in good condition.
I'll buy from Amazon next time because they have superior order tracking.
--- CHAS"
"Phishing scam store. They get your credit card number and charge it right away. Then cancel the order. Other people claim they won't give you a full refund even after many calls. I did not get any refund yet!!! Now I am expecting a bombardment of ad's from this scammers! Stay away!"
"Overstock.com
Shill bidding is the process of creating additional accounts and or coordinating efforts with other users to artificially drive up the price of an item. Shill bidding is strictly prohibited. Users caught shill bidding will be banned from Overstock.com Auctions.
Seems to be a rule not enforce
Beware of overstock.com way too many complaints"
"I ordered an Ironman Elliptical Machine on June 6th 2007, I received my Order in less than 2 weeks (The site asks to allow 3-6 weeks for delivery) and up to 10 days for the item to be shipped.
I would whole heartedly suggest buying from this site, Nothing but good things to say about the company and the product received, as well as the time in which it was recieved."
"Purchased without issues. Later I found better prices on three of the items, so I tried to apply the Best Price Guarantee Policy that Overstock.com promotes. I quickly found out that their policy is fraudulent, a joke and flawed:
1) They reject sites where the disputed item is on sale, which makes no sense since Overstock.com also has their stuff on sale, and should be willing to price match other sites that have items on sale, too.
2) They reject sites that offer free shipping. So many sites out there offer free shipping if you purchase more than a specific amount, and Overstock.com rejects all of them.
3) They say they can only price match if it's done within 5 days of purchase. The problem is that it takes them a whole business day to reply to your request, and if you have issues and reply back, they take another business day. This can go for a while, and by the time you realize that their policy makes no sense and try to submit another site to price match, they won't accept it since it's been over 5 days. It wouldn't have passed 5 days if they have a phone number for Best Price Guarantee, which they dont. It's all done through email.
Overstock.com's Best Price Guarantee policy is a ploy to deceive customers and pull them in. Don't count on it at all.
First time and last I am purchasing from Overstock.com, no wonder they have such low ratings."
"I've just ordered sheet sets from Overstock, but all of my purchases have been great experiences.
A few months ago I ordered some European cotton sheets, which are some of the softest and most comfortable I've ever slept in. My most recent purchase was for a sateen set. I had the set within 4 days of purchasing and only paid for ground shipping.
From what I've read, it seems like there a lot of problems with Overstock's return policy. Given that I wouldn't recommend them for electronics equipment and such that would be more liable to be returned. However, for bedding, I doubt I order sheets from anywhere else except Overstock."
"This is not my most recent purchase from this store, but it is the one I having all kinds of problems with. I pre-order a book, which I will NEVER do again, as they seem to be having all kinds of issue in cancelling my order, as I've request or shipping the order like it should have been. They use to be a great company to deal with, but in the last month they have seriously suck at customer service. I have been on them every day about this order and keep getting the same excuses about it. We have this long to ship it, but no I can't cancel it. As far as I'm concerned, if you haven't shipped it and can't give me a shipping date, then you have NO REASON for not cancelling it. If your item is in stock, then buy it, but if it isn't....then DON'T. They'll give you every excuse in the book for not shipping it and it's a book which every other store now has in stock. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!"
"Emerson: Thank's for visiting Overstock.com. This is Emerson. How may I help you today?
you: i m looking at Sharp AQUOS 32-inch LCD HDTV w/ HD Tuner, does it have manufacturer warranty on it?
Emerson: I'd be glad to help you with that.
Emerson: May I have the catalog number or name of the item you are interested in?
you: Catalog #: 10688124
Emerson: Thank you.
Emerson: Are you referring to the 'Sharp AQUOS 32-inch LCD HDTV w/ HD Tuner' for $679.99?
you: yes
you: i m worry about the warranty because it is a remanufactured product
Emerson: I'm sorry, it comes with 30 dasy distributor warranty as well as the additional 2 year Platinum Protection Plan for $59.99.
you: *IF I need to return the TV for repair(under the protection plan), who 's going to pay for the shipping fee?
Emerson: Let me explain you our return policy.
Emerson: If the item that you receive is found to be damaged or defective, we shall issue a free return label to return the item for a refund or a replacement.
Emerson: You may return most items sold by Overstock.com within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. For returns initiated after 30 days, Overstock.com may grant a credit of up to 50% of the item’s value.
Emerson: Computers and Electronics returns must be initiated within 20 days from the original ship date to qualify for a full refund. Your item must be received back in the Overstock.com warehouse within 30 days of the original shipment.
Emerson: All returns must be received back in the Overstock.com warehouse 30 days from the date initiated.
Emerson: After inspecting the returned merchandise, we will reimburse the purchase price of the item, less original shipping costs. All items are subject to a restocking fee of $4.95 per item OR 15% for items within the Electronic, Computer, and Wholesale categories.
Emerson: All refunds will be issued in the original form of payment used for purchase.
you: wow..what a policy~
Emerson: May I place the order for you?
you: so, even if it's under the protection plan, I still need to pay for the return shipping cost when it turns defective(after 30 days).
Emerson: No. If the item is defective, we shall issue the free return label.
you: I will place an order after i have every concerns are clarified
Emerson: I'm sorry, we are unable to accept the return after the time frame.
you: and the time frame is 30 days of delivery
Emerson: I'm sorry, could you please be more specific about that?
you: Am I responsible for the return shipping cost after the 30-day of delivery?
Emerson: I'm really sorry, we don't accept return's after the time frame.
Emerson: I’ll remain available for another minute or two if you need further assistance.
you: even it's under the protection plan?
you: ok ...i will let everybody knows if you are out of time
Emerson: Well, if you purchase the protection plan, you need to contact the number which will be provided under the plan information.
you: i don't see any statements about the shipping Label under the FAQ
Emerson: I'm sorry, could you please be more specific about the shipping label?
you: ok
you: if you don't mind, I will post my experience on reselleratings.com
"
"Horrible experience. DO NOT ORDER!!!! I placed an order for 3 books, listed as in stock 4/15. "Shipped" 4/17. Tracking numbers never (even as of 5/13) changed status from "Electronic shipping information received". Called 5/12 to inquire, told it would take 4 business days to conduct a trace, and then another 15 business days to ship out the replacements. That is ANOTHER month at least! No way, called back to cancel. Claimed they will process the return and receive refund within 2 business days. We'll see.
Also, they did a bait-and-switch. I ordered a book, 'Quicken "X" for Dummies'. I punched this in to amazon (after I canceled) and was told the book was available for pre-order. The book overstock sold me (and supposedly shipped) wasn't even published yet. I checked back at overstock and the picture they show for the book I ordered is 'Quicken 2007 for Dummies'. Now, I wouldn't have cared since I was just looking for the most recent edition, but this practice is slimy at best.
First AND LAST TIME customer with them."
"Don´t expect any quick action should a problem happen with your order. 2-3 days seems to be there only response. Stick with amazon or newegg where customer service is excellent."